The Senate has dismissed claims that it voted against the electronic transmission of election results during deliberations on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio addressed the issue after the upper chamber passed the bill following an extended plenary session lasting over four hours. Debate on the contentious amendment to Clause 60, Subsection 3, stretched from the afternoon into the evening, sparking widespread speculation on social media about the outcome.
Reports suggested that lawmakers had rejected a proposal requiring presiding officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit polling unit results electronically in real time to the INEC Result Viewing portal. Instead, it was claimed, the Senate retained language allowing results to be transmitted “in a manner as prescribed by the Commission.”
Akpabio dismissed these claims as false, stressing that electronic transmission was not removed from the law. He explained that the chamber simply retained existing provisions already applied during the 2022 elections, emphasizing that electronic transmission remains a key component of Nigeria’s electoral process.
“This Senate has not rejected electronic transmission of results,” Akpabio said, clarifying that the amendment did not roll back any previous reforms. He urged lawmakers and the public to rely on official records rather than social media reports.
He also noted that upholding electronic transmission reflects the Senate’s commitment to credible elections and warned against misinterpretations suggesting a regression in the electoral framework.
The electronic transmission of results has been one of the most debated aspects of Nigeria’s electoral reforms, particularly following the 2023 general elections. Civil society groups and opposition parties have repeatedly called for clearer legal provisions to strengthen transparency and public trust.
Akpabio said his intervention was necessary to calm public concerns and correct misrepresentations, as lawmakers continue to work on electoral reforms ahead of future polls.
